Method of preservation



June 19, 1934. A, F SCOTT 1,963,681

METHOD OF PRESERVATION Filed March 30, 1933 INVENTOR Patented June 19,1934 Allison F. H. Scott, Pleasantville, N. Y. Application March 30-,1933, SerialNo. 663,508

3 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of preservation, and consists inemployment of certain materials in certain associations, in consequenceof which buried bodies may be preserved without appreciable decay duringindefinitely long periods of time. Its practical value is found in humanburials.

The accompanying drawing is a view in crosssection through the vault andits contents, of a burial, and to it reference will be made inexplanation of the invention.

The burial of the invention consists of a corpse 1 within a casket 2;the casket in turn is contained within a vault 3; and the vault shown issuch a vault as may be, and ordinarily it will be, placed underground,in a grave.

The particular construction of the vault is not-of the essence of theinvention; nevertheless, since the character of the vault is a factor inthe continued integrity of the burial, I preferably employ a cast-ironvault, formed of two continuous and imperforate shells, united in anhermetically sealed line of union 30. Such a vault has durabilityunderground and is effective to maintain its contents isolatedunderground for an indefinitely long period of time. The bottom of thevault is advantageously formed with raised bosses 31, upon which thecontained casket 2 may immediately rest.

The casket 2 is of such form and material as is preferred; and, sinceconsiderations of custom enter in, my invention does not contemplatealteration in the materials used in the construction of the casket, butrather it accepts the conventional thing and makes provisionaccordingly. Ordinarily the casket is a wooden box, covered with andlined with fabric and equipped with metal handles 21. It need notbe-and, with the usual practice in mind, ordinarily will notbe-water-tight; and to the usual practice alluded to the invention isadapted. The casket rests upon the rails 31 and otherwise stands free ofcontact with the floor of the 'vault. The corpse 1 within the casket 2is clothed and disposed in accordance with custom.

It is entirely possible before burial to bring about thoroughsterilization of a human corpse; but the accomplishment requires severalmonths, and involves many injections of embalming fluid. While,therefore, preservation of a corpse against dissolution is adesideratum, burial customs forbid its accomplishment in any such manneras that suggested.

The immediate processes of decay of a buried corpse-particularly if thecorpse shall already have been embalmed-involve the growth of aerobioticorganisms; and, accordingly, my invention includes provision for theelimination of oxygen and moisture from the atmosphere in which theesses of decay further involve the growth of fungis, and my inventionincludes provision of a growth-inhibiting content in the atmosphere inwhich the buried corpse is enveloped. Inevitably after burial graduallyfrees itself and, but for provision to the contrary, would collectinrelatively large amount in the bottom of the casket, and passing thencewould collect in the vault; and the moisture so released would beeffective to promote decay. My invention further includes provision suchas to render this moisture ineffective.

In the burial of my invention there is placed buried corpse isenveloped. The proca buried corpse contains a water content which 6 withthe corpse within the casket a suitable quan- 7 tity of a reducingagent. This reducing agent may be pyrogallic acid in a slightly alkalinesolution; it may be linseed oil; or, again, it may be a quality of metalfilings. In any case, its effect when the vault has been closedhermetically is 9 to eliminate. from the atmosphere of the burial itscontent of oxygen, and so to starve and render ineffective thosemicro-organisms which are dependent upon oxygen for their increase. Itis placed within the immediate association with the substances liable todecay. The preferred material is liquid and is carried in a suitableopen container placed within the casket.

I include also within the casket and in immediate association with thecorpse a proper quantity of a suitable hygroscopic material. PreferablyI employ anhydrous sodium sulphate. Alternative materials are phosphorus.pentoxide, slightly casket because there it is in '85 calcined aluminumhydroxide, and burnt lime. 9

When burial is effected the vault and it contents are brought to atemperature somewhat lower than that under which the casket and thevault have been closed, and a temperature which ordinarily issubstantially constant. Such lowering of temperature establishes a newvapor balance and tends to effect precipitation of moisture from theenclosed body of air and collection of moisture upon all surfaces.Hygroscopic material, present as described, is effective to take up thismoisture and so to prevent precipitation upon surfaces where organismsof decay might otherwise flourish.

To prevent fungous growth I include within the casket a substance whichwill volatilize and coni stitute a fungicide. Such a substance isparaldehyde, which may be introduced in the form of a solution in oil.Another suitable substance is paraformaldehyde; others are thymol,eugenol, and pine oil. Such liquid fungicide may be placed in a suitableopen container and so placed within the casket. It is possible,alternatively, to provide a normally gaseous fungicide-carbon dioxide,or ethyleneoxide, or a mixture of the two (known commercially ascarb-oxide) -introduced in liquid or even (in the case of carbondioxide) in solid condition.

Within the vault and externally of the casket I include an additionalquantity of hygroscopic material capable of taking up as it frees itselfthe water that during a longer interval of time separates from thesubstance of the corpse. This material may conveniently be anhydroussodium sulphate, a substance that takes up more than its own weight ofwater, and in doing so passes from amorphous to crystalline form. Thewater enters aswater of crystallization and does not continue as freeliquid. Again, phosphorus pentoxide is available as a hygroscopicmaterial, but, taking up water, it continues in liquid condition, andthis I prefer to avoid. Other available materials are slightly calcinedaluminum hydroxide and burnt lime. Of course, hygroscopic materials ofmany kinds are known; I am here content to name a few that are readilyavailable and practicable for my purposes. This hygroscopic material isscattered on the floor of the vault be fore the closed casket is loweredto place Within it.

The vault then is closed hermetically and the grave is filled.

A burial conditioned in the manner described is relatively durable; thecorpse is protected against decay, and with the clothing upon it willcontinue in integrity for a long period of time.

I claim as my invention:

1. In the art of preservation, wherein a corpse is disposed Within awater-pervious casket, which casket in turn is disposed within anair-tight vault, the method of preserving herein described, whichconsists in removing from the body of air isolated within the vault andcasket its oxygen content by means of a reducing agent inclosed with thecorpse within the casket, and maintaining the said isolated body of airfree oi water vapor by means of hygroscopic material inclosed within thevault, whereby the organisms of decay, deprived of the media essentialto growth, are rendered inert.

2. In the art of preservation, wherein a corpse is disposed within aWater-pervious casket, which casket in turn is disposed within anair-tight vault, the method of preserving herein described, whichconsists in removing from the body of air isolated within the vault andcasket its oxygen content by means of a reducing agent inclosed with thecorpse within the casket, and introducing into the said body of air afungicidal content by means of a body of volatile fungicide inclosedwith the body within the casket, whereby the organisms of decay,enveloped in an atmosphere forbidding growth, are rendered inert.

3. In the art of preservation, wherein a corpse is disposed within awater-pervious casket, which casket in turn is disposed within anair-tight vault, the method of preserving herein described, whichconsists in removing from the body of air isolated Within the vault andcasket its oxygen content by means of a reducing agent inclosed with thecorpse within the casket, introducing into the said body of air afungicidal content by means of a volatile body of fungicide inclosedwith the corpse within the casket, and maintaining the said isolatedbody of air free of water vapor by means of hygroscopic materialinclosed within the vault whereby the organisms of decay, enveloped inan atmosphere forbidding growth, are rendered inert.

ALLISON F. H. SCOTT.

